Summary: Faith is a action word. Showing your faith by your good deeds is an expression of what God is doing in your life.

For several weeks we have been studying the book of James. One week on trials and temptations and last week on listening and doing the Word of God. Looking at how well you listen to others and to God. If you are the type that is a maverick and don’t listen to others advice, you probably don’t listen when God is directing your life either. Both weeks we said that faith must be active. Say active faith If you don’t get anything else out of this study, you will have heard that faith has to be active. James 2:14-25 Read. The first thing that jumps out at you is that dead un-working faith saves no one. The Christian church is grounded on Christian actions. The church is a group of people bound together by mutual ties and laws. They are in unity living out their faith in Jesus Christ. The church “Ecclessia” means called out. Implying spiritual bonds, being separate from the world, and having a mark of truth that is in line with Jesus Christ. The beginning of chapter 2 talks about favoritism. The Jews sat by rank, those of the same trade sat together, the have’s were divided from the have-not’s. the usher if you needed one this morning would show you to your seat. In the temple, the usher would seat you by category, by your wealth, by your appearance, by who’s your Daddy Up front near the speaker, privileged seating, here, I can’t give this row of seating away. Your scared of it. If it is full, the elite get the seat. The poor get to sit at the feet of someone or stand in the back. Sat by distinction and difference. They were partial to those that were like them. Holding evil thoughts, holding a personal agenda on how they are treated. Paul says Ephesians 2:9-10 “For it is by grace you are saved, through faith and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not by works So no one can boast. Amen. Absolutely true. Every bit of it. Let God be true and every man a liar. James is saying that if you have saving faith, you are not going to be doing these kinds of things, and your faith (saving faith) will be actively working in your life and working to save other people from a life without Christ. There is a distinction between rich and poor, but it is not what your thinking. Matthew 5:3- Rich in faith Luke 12:21- Rich towards God. 1 Tim. 6:18 Rich in good works. To dishonor those that are below you in society is to dishonor God. To drag down the poor, and elevate the rich as a class is to abuse the power and blessings that God has given you. James after talking about mercy, love, and having a respect for people, elevating Jesus, not the high class rich. He then surged right into the message this morning of having faith and working it for the Kingdom of God. The teaching of Paul and James are not contradicting, they are inspired by God, and they are woven together. Paul tells James/us- you cannot earn salvation, because you need Jesus Christ. James tells us- If you have the power of the Holy Spirit working in your life, you have the joy of your salvation, you must act and live your faith and hepl those that God has put you in contact with.